Airlines Air Ads, Andrews Avenue, Paranaque (tel 02/833 3264); Air India, Gammon Center Building, Makati (tel 02/815 1280 or 817 5865); Air Philippines, 15th Floor, Multinational Bankcorporation Center, 6805 Ayala Avenue, Makati (tel 02/843 7770); American Airlines, Olympia Condominium, Makati (tel 02/817 8645); Asian Spirit, LPL Towers, 112 Legaspi St, Makati (tel 02/840 3811 to
Banks and exchange American Express, Manila Branch, 1810 Mabini St, Malate (tel 02/524 8681 or 526 8406); Bank of the Philippine Islands (tel 02/818 5541 for details of all branches); Citibank, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati (tel 02/813 9177); Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp, Ayala Avenue, Makati (tel 02/635 1000); Solidbank, 777 Paseo De Roxas, Makati (tel 02/894 8866); Standard C
Embassies and consulates Australia, Dona Salustiana Building, 104 Paseo de Roxas, Makati (tel 02/750 2850); Brunei, 11th Floor, BPI Building, 104 Paseo de Roxas, Makati (tel 02/816 2836); Canada, 9-11th Floor, Allied Bank Center, 6754 Ayala Ave, Makati (tel 02/867 0001); France, Pacific Star Building, Makati Avenue, Makati (tel 02/810 1981); Germany, Solid Bank Building, 777 Paseo
Emergencies The Department of Tourism has two assistance lines (tel 02/524 1703 or 524 2384) and two Tourist Hotlines (tel 02/524 1728 or 524 1660).
Hospitals and clinics Makati Medical Center, 2 Amorsolo St, Makati (tel 02/815 9911), is the largest and one of the most modern hospitals in Manila. It has an emergency department and dozens of specialist clinics. You can't make an appointment for the clinics - you just have to turn up and join the queue. Opening times are 10am-noon and 2-4pm.
Immigration Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, Magellanes Drive, Intramuros (tel 02/527 3257 or 527 3280). Open 8am-noon & 1-5pm. There is a new Immigration Office in Makati where queues are said to be shorter. It's at 4th Floor, Gotiaco Building, MC Briones Street, opposite Makati City Hall.
Internet access Internet access is increasingly available in Manila and Makati. Global Café (tel 02/536 8023) is at 3rd Floor, Pedro Gil Wing, Robinson's Place, Ermita. In Makati, the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati Avenue (tel 02/892 1801) charges P100 an hour.
Pharmacies You are never far from a Mercury Drug outlet in Metro Manila. At the last count there were two hundred of them. In Ermita, there's one at 444 TM Kalaw St and another at the Robinson's Place Complex in M Adriatico. In Makati there's a big branch in Glorietta on the ground floor near Tower Records.
Police Tourist Police, Room 112, Department of Tourism Building, Teodoro Valencia Circle, TM Kalaw Street, Ermita; Western District Police, United Nations Avenue, Ermita.
Post office The closest post office to the Manila Bay area is at Liwasang Bonifacio, Intramuros, near MacArthur Bridge on the Pasig River. The closest LRT station is Central. In Makati, there is a post office at the junction of Senator Gil Puyat and Ayala Avenues, next to Makati Fire Station.